Steven Wilson slams "abysmal" Greta Van Fleet: "They're like a boy band Led Zeppelin”

Steven Wilson and Greta Van Fleet's Josh Kiszka (Image credit: Frank Hoensch/Redferns, Scott Dudelson/WireImage - Getty)

Prog musician Steven Wilson has lashed out at Greta Van Fleet, calling their music “absolutely abysmal.”

The musician was talking to the My Rock podcast when he said that while it’s been “a struggle” for him over the last 25 years to build his audience, others have achieved success almost overnight thanks to mainstream media getting behind them.

Pointing specifically at the Michigan outfit, who recently won a Grammy for their EP From The Fires, Wilson says: “You know that terrible band Greta Van Fleet? I think they're absolutely abysmal. I think they're terrible. I think it's a joke.

“But they're an example of a band, because they're pretty young boys, they look like a boy band, they play this really piss-poor, third-rate impersonation of Led Zeppelin.

“But they're pretty and they've had all the help of the media, the commercial machine, behind them and they've been able to reach a massive audience almost overnight by playing third-rate music.

“I don't believe for one minute that anyone will even remember who they are in 10 years."

Wilson adds: “Now, I might be wrong. Maybe they'll prove me wrong. Maybe they'll suddenly develop into a good band and make a good record. But the point is, at the moment, they're not. They're like a boy band version of Led Zeppelin.”

While Greta Van Fleet have come under fire from some quarters for their sound, the band themselves have shrugged the comments off and told Classic Rock last month: "Maybe we’re introducing a new generation of rock’n’roll.”

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Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.